A Kent, Wash. family plans to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission after hearing a profanity-laced conversation between truck drivers over a pair of Disney Princess Royal Walkie-Talkies purchased for their nine-year-old child.
“We picked up some things that she shouldn’t be hearing, or any child should be hearing,” Jennifer Childress told Fox affiliate KCPQ-TV, adding that the truckers’ conversation included racial slurs and crude language.
According to a sticker placed on the back of the Disney walkie-talkies, the toys broadcast on a single channel, 27.145 Mhz, which sits close on the radio spectrum to the north-south freeway trucker’s channel at 27.165 MHz. The Childress family reportedly lives near Interstate 5, a major north-south trucking route on the west coast, making interference a strong possibility.
A West Virginia mother had a similar experience in 2008 when her three-year-old son’s Fisher-Price walkie-talkie picked up several truck drivers discussing strip clubs and use of illegal substances.
A Fisher-Price spokesperson told news media at the time of the incident that a limited number of operating frequencies are available for radio-type walkie-talkies, and they can occasionally pick up transmissions from other devices. The toy was discontinued by exclusive retailer Wal-Mart shortly after the incident.
Ghery Pettit says
27.145 MHz? Not allocated for CB. 27.165 MHz is ch 17, a common channel for truckers. Sounds like a mistake on the part of the frequency (channel) used by the walkie-talkie, but even if it was using a channel close to 17 and the truckers were running illegal power (not uncommon) then it would take a good radio to have enough adjacent channel rejection to not hear it. Good luck with the FCC complaint. Not Disney’s fault and finding the trucker involved will be like looking a needle in a haystack.
Jenifer nunez says
Scary to find out that the exact same thing is happening On my 6 year old daughters walkie talkie. I just turned it On and they are the exact same ones that are On the video Shawn above. I cant get them off, and if i Talk into it they actually reply back. I live in north carolina no where near the other family. Si how is it that these men are On our daughters toys????
Stephanie says
Just got a set for my girls and the same thing happened and then the truckers tried talking to my kids…not ok…looks like walkie talkies are off limits now :/